Pittsburgh International Airport bracing for heavy rush of Thanksgiving travelers
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A record number of people are set to take off today ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday and Pittsburgh International Airport is bracing for a rush of travelers hitting the skies.
Tuesday and Wednesday are both expected to be busy days at airports across the country.
Transportation Security Administration officials say they expect to screen 2.8 million passengers on Tuesday and another 3 million on Wednesday. All of this comes as new rules and regulations aim to hold airlines accountable.
Early Tuesday morning, travelers were lined up at Pittsburgh International's security checkpoint.
KDKA's Ross Guidotti spoke with a family who is heading to St. Martin who said they arrived at the airport around 3:30 a.m. for their morning flight.
Air travel is up around 5% across the state of Pennsylvania compared to last year. Florida, California, Hawaii, and Las Vegas are all popular destinations right now.
The busiest times at Pittsburgh International are expected to be from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m.
TSA officials are urging people to remember to pack their patience when heading to the airport, but do not pack firearms into carry-on luggage.
When it comes to Thanksgiving items, food items like baked goods, meats, stuffing, casseroles, fresh fruits, and vegetables are allowed to be put in carry-on luggage.
Items that can be spilled like liquids, gravy, wine, and preserves are not allowed in carry-ons and must be safely packed and put in checked baggage.